Street Fighter X Tekken: The Basics

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We break down what you absolutely need to know about Capcom taking on Tekken.

By Arthur Gies

What is Street Fighter X Tekken? Street Fighter X Tekken is the first game borne of an agreement between Capcom and Namco to create their own respective games pitting the combatants of the Street Fighter and Tekken series' against each other. It's slated for a 2012 release.

What does that "X" mean? After playing Street Fighter X Tekken, that "X" in the title makes more sense. This isn't a versus title - the outrageous jumps and obscene super combos are nowhere to be found in Street Fighter X Tekken. You'll select a pair of characters before each fight, and you can tag your partner in at any time. This includes tagging in the middle of combo chains, allowing you to mix up and extend the devastation if you time it right. However, unlike the Vs. games, if either of your fighters is knocked out (i.e., their life bar is fully depleted), you'll lose the round. The combat is intense, but the off-the-wall goofiness that characterizes the Vs. games is largely absent here.

How does it play? In our brief time with Street Fighter X Tekken, it felt similar to Street Fighter Alpha and Street Fighter 3. The Tekken characters haven't received any new moves, so they're non-projectile based fighters. In previous Street Fighter titles, these characters tend to play more unconventionally than fighters like Ryu and Guile, and this isn't any different. Tekken characters require a more up-close play style and more risk taking to take advantage of lapses in judgment and defense by their opponents.

Players using Tekken fighters can also get along just fine using only the light and medium punches and kicks, mirroring the four button control method of the Tekken series (though there are additional moves on the Fierce and Roundhouse buttons if players want to take advantage of them). Tekken characters fire off combos in much the same way as their own game. Meanwhile, any move that knocks characters into the air can now be juggled.

For Street Fighter fans, your favorites control largely as you'd expect if you've played Street Fighter IV or its offshoots, but you'll need to learn how to react to the aggressive tactics of the Tekken roster.